US5924658A - IV pole - Google Patents

Abstract

A telescoping IV pole has a bottom pole with a support at a bottom end thereof for facilitating an orienting of said bottom pole in an upright, vertically oriented position. A top pole is provided which is slidably disposed within the bottom pole in a telescoping manner. The top pole has at a top end thereof an intravenous fluid container support and at a bottom end thereof a circumferential locking groove. A pole latch is provided for automatically effecting an interlock with the locking groove when the top pole is deployed to an extended position outside of the bottom pole. The pole latch includes plural latch members each being supported for movement into and out of the locking groove. A spring is provided for urging the latch members into the locking groove. A manually operable unlocking device is provided for effecting a simultaneous release of the interlock so that the top pole will telescope into the bottom pole. A control device is provided for effecting simultaneous rotational and axial translational movement of the manually operable unlocking device relative to the top and bottom poles so as to effect a simultaneous forceful urging of the latch members of the locking groove against the urging of the spring.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an IV pole latch and, more particularly, to an IV pole latch that automatically latches when the top pole is deployed to its fully extended length relative to the bottom pole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many varieties of IV poles exist in the field and for the purpose of supporting intravenous fluid containers to facilitate the gravity feed of fluids contained therein to patients oriented in an adjacent bed. In many instances, the IV pole is provided on a wheeled carriage which stands adjacent the bed. In some instances, the IV pole is to be mounted directly on the bed and, in this instance, it is desired to frequently raise and lower the IV pole during periods of use and non-use. Accordingly, it is a desire to provide an IV pole with a latch mechanism that will reliably latch to the top pole when it is moved to the fully extended position thereof and to reliably release the latching engagement to facilitate a retraction of the top pole into the bottom pole. It is furthermore a desire to provide an IV pole that is sturdy once it is moved to the raised position.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an IV pole with a latch that automatically couples to the top pole when it is moved to the fully extended position thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an IV pole, as aforesaid, wherein the latch can be reliably unlocked from its engagement with the top pole to facilitate a retraction of the top pole into the bottom pole.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an IV pole, as aforesaid, which includes structure for orienting and reliably maintaining the IV pole in an upright fixed position relative to the base upon which it is mounted.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an IV pole, as aforesaid, which is reliable, requires little or no maintenance and is easy to operate by the personnel attending a patient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objects and purposes of this invention have been met by providing a telescoping IV pole having a bottom pole with a support at a bottom end thereof for facilitating an orienting of said bottom pole in an upright, vertically oriented position. A top pole is provided which is slidably disposed within the bottom pole in a telescoping manner. The top pole has at a top end thereof an intravenous fluid container support and at a bottom end thereof a circumferential locking groove. A pole latch is provided for automatically effecting an interlock with the locking groove when the top pole is deployed to an extended position outside of the bottom pole. The pole latch includes plural latch members each being supported for movement into and out of the locking groove. A spring is provided for urging the latch members into the locking groove. A manually operable unlocking device is provided for effecting a simultaneous release of the interlock so that the top pole will telescope into the bottom pole. A control device is provided for effecting simultaneous rotational and axial translational movement of the manually operable unlocking device relative to the top and bottom poles so as to effect a simultaneous forceful urging of the latch members of the locking groove against the urging of the spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and purposes of this invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatus of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of an IV pole embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of a latch mechanism embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view of an assembly of the latch illustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along theline 4--4 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only and will not be limiting. The words "up", "down", "right" and "left" will designate direction in the drawings to which reference is made. The words "in" and "out" will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof. Such terminology will include derivatives and words of similar import.

An IVpole 10 embodying the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The IVpole 10 includes a bottom pole 11 having anexternal thread 12 at an upper end thereof and atapered fitting 13 at the lower end thereof. Theexterior surface 14 of thetapered fitting 13 is preferably conical and has a transversely extendinghole 16 therethrough. Thetapered fitting 13 is adapted to be received into a correspondinglytapered recess 17 in abase member 18. If desired, ahole 19 can be provided in the portion of thebase 18 containing therecess 17, the axis of which hole intersects the axis of therecess 17 so that apin 21 can be received in thehole 19 and thehole 16 aligned therewith when thetapered fitting 13 is received into therecess 17. The corresponding tapered surfaces of thetapered fitting 13 and thetapered recess 17 cause a zero tolerance fitting of thetapered fitting 13 into therecess 17. As a result, the bottom pole 11 will be retained in a sturdy upright position when thetapered fitting 13 is appropriately received in therecess 17.

In this particular embodiment, the bottom pole 11 has ahollow interior 22 into which is received a cylinder shaped elasticallyyieldable cushion member 23. Thecushion member 23 is oriented adjacent thetapered fitting 13 adjacent the bottom end of the bottom pole 11.

Apole latching mechanism 24 is threadedly secured to thethread 12 on the upper end of the bottom pole 11. Thelatching mechanism 24 will be described in more detail below. Thelatching mechanism 24 has acentral passageway 26 therethrough.

Atop pole 27 is telescopically received into theinterior 22 of the bottom pole 11. The top pole also extends through thepassageway 26 in thelatching mechanism 24. The top pole includes alocking groove 28 adjacent thelower end 29 thereof.

An intravenous fluidcontainer support mechanism 31 is secured to the upper end of thetop pole 27. In this particular embodiment, thesupport mechanism 31 includes a pair ofhooks 32. Thehooks 32 have an eyelet with a central opening therein adapted to be coaxially related to the axis of thetop pole 27 so that a bolt 33 can be utilized to secure thehooks 32 to thetop pole 27.

Referring now in more detail to thelatching mechanism 24, FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view thereof. A first member orbase unit 36 of thelatching mechanism 24 is hollow and includes aninternal thread 37 threadedly engaged with theexterior thread 12 at the top end of the bottom pole 11. Thebase unit 36 includes a pair of diametrically spacedguide slots 38 inclined to the vertical at an angle of about 250. Theguide slots 38 each receive therein anelongated latch pin 39. Eachguide slot 38 opens into thepassageway 26 through anopening 41. As a result, when thelatch pins 39 are received in theguide slots 38, a surface segment of eachlatch pin 39 will project into thecentral passageway 26 of thelatching mechanism 24 and as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Thebase unit 36 also has a pair of diametrically spaced and upwardly inclined circumferentially extendingslots 42 into which aspherical ball 43 is received in each of theslots 42.

Thebase unit 36 includes adjacent the upper end thereof anannular groove 44. Ashoulder 46 is provided on thebase unit 36 and is, in this particular embodiment, oriented between theslots 38, 42 and the lower end of thebase unit 36.

Asecond member 51 of thelatching mechanism 24 is comprised of a plurality of parts, namely, afirst part 52 and asecond part 53. Thefirst part 52 is generally a hollow cylindrical member telescopically receiving therein thebase unit 36. The first part has a shoulder 47 on an interior thereof which rests on theshoulder 46. The first part also has a pair of axially aligned and diametrically spaced internally threadedholes 54 therein. Thefirst part 52 also has a pair of diametrically spacedball capturing slots 56 into which is received a respective one of theballs 43. Anannular surface 57 lying in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis A of thecentral passageway 26 is provided on the upper end of thefirst part 52.

A first annularflat washer 58 encircles thebase unit 36 and rests on theupper surface 57 of thefirst part 52. Surface segments of the latch pins 39 rest on the upper surface of theannular washer 58. A secondannular washer 59, like theannular washer 58, encircles thebase unit 36 and rests on surface segments of the two latch pins 39. Acompression spring 61 rests at a lower end thereof on the upper surface of thewasher 59 and abuts at the other end thereof against a furtherannular washer 62 encircling thebase unit 36 and which rests against aclip ring 63 received in theannular groove 44 of thebase unit 36.

Thesecond part 53 of thesecond member 51 is telescopically received over the previously discussed assembly. Thesecond part 53 has a pair of diametrically spaced and axially alignedholes 64 therein which become axially aligned with the threadedholes 54 in thefirst part 52.Screws 66 are received in the axially alignedholes 54 and 64 to facilitate securement of thesecond part 53 to thefirst part 52. The upper end of thesecond part 53 has a reduceddiameter hole 67 therein in which is secured alip seal 68. Thelip seal 68 fills the space between the internal diameter of thehole 67 and the exterior surface of thetop pole 27 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Alip 69 on thelip seal 68 slidingly engages the exterior surface of thetop pole 27 with sufficient force such as to restrict or throttle the passage of air being displaced from theinterior 22 of the bottom pole 11 as thetop pole 27 enters therein to assist in reducing the velocity that thetop pole 27 will move in a downward direction following a latch release function.

It will be noted that thelower end 29 of thetop pole 27 has anenlarged diameter section 71 thereon. It will further be noted that theannular groove 28 is oriented in thisenlarged diameter section 71. A taperedsurface 72 exists between theenlarged diameter section 71 and the exterior surface of thetop pole 27. Theinterior surface 73 of thebase unit 36 includes a taperedshoulder 74 correspondingly shaped to match the taperedsection 72 joining theenlarged section 71 to thetop pole 27. As a result, thetop pole 27 when raised, will not be permitted to move entirely out of its telescoped relation with the bottom pole 11 due to the mutual engagement of the taperedsection 72 with the taperedshoulder 74. It will further be noted that when the aforesaid taperedsection 72 and taperedshoulder 74 engage one another, the latch pins 39 will enter the lockinggroove 28.

When it is desired to unlatch thetop pole 27 to permit a telescoping movement thereof into the interior 22 of the bottom pole 11, thesecond part 53 of thelatching mechanism 24 is rotated clockwise in direction of thearrows 76 on thesecond part 53 to cause theballs 43 captured in theball capturing slots 56 to travel up the ramps defined by the inclined circumferentially extendingslots 42 to cause an axial displacement of thesecond member 51 of thelatching mechanism 24 relative to thebase unit 36 against the return force of thecompression spring 61. That is, theannular washer 58 resting on theupper surface 57 of thefirst part 52 of thesecond member 51 is driven upwardly to urge the latch pins 39 upwardly in theangled slots 38. Thewasher 59 resting on the upper surface of the latch pins 39 is carried therewith and effects a compression of thespring 61 between the aforesaidannular washer 59 and theannular washer 62 abutting theclip ring 63. Once the latch pins have moved simultaneously radially outwardly in the inclined slots 38 a sufficient distance to be effectively removed entirely from the lockinggrooves 28, thetop pole 27 will then be permitted to move axially downwardly into the interior 22 of the bottom pole 11. Air escaping from theinterior 22 of the bottom pole 11 will be throttled by the close tolerance spacing between the interior wall surface of the bottom pole 11 and the exterior surface of theenlarged section 71 at thelower end 29 of thetop pole 27 and by thelip 69 of thelip seal 68 slidingly engaging the exterior surface of thetop pole 27. As a result, the speed at which thetop pole 27 drops into the interior of the bottom pole 11 is limited. The elasticallyyieldable cushion member 23 oriented in the interior of the bottom pole 11 adjacent the lower end thereof cushions the arrival of thelower end 29 of thetop pole 27.

A manual release of the attendant's grip urging thesecond member 51 clockwise to effect a latch release, will cause thespring 61 to urge the latch pins 39 entrapped between the twoannular washers 58 and 59 downwardly toward theopenings 41 in thebase unit 36. This simultaneously causes theballs 43 to be urged down the inclined ramp surface defined by theslots 42 to return thesecond member 51 in a counter-clockwise direction to its initial position.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (15)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A telescoping IV pole, comprising:

a bottom pole having means at a bottom end thereof for facilitating an orienting of said bottom pole in an upright, vertically oriented position;

a top pole slidably disposed within said bottom pole in a telescoping manner, said top pole having at a top end thereof support means for facilitating a support of one or more intravenous fluid containers, said top pole having at a bottom end thereof a circumferential locking groove;

a pole latching means for automatically effecting an interlock with said locking groove when said top pole is deployed to an extended position outside of said bottom pole, said pole latching means including plural latch members each being supported for movement into and out of said locking groove, and resilient means for urging said latch members into said locking groove;

manually operable unlocking means for effecting a simultaneous release of said interlock so that said top pole will telescope into said bottom pole; and

control means for effecting simultaneous rotational and axial translational movement of said manually operable unlocking means relative to said top and bottom poles so as to effect a simultaneous forceful urging of said latch members out of said locking groove against the urging of said resilient means.

2. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 1, wherein said manually operable unlocking means is secured to a top end of said bottom pole and includes a central passageway therethrough and through which said top pole extends.

3. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 2, wherein said manually operable unlocking means includes latch member guide surfaces opening into and terminating at said passageway and oriented inclined to the vertical, a telescoping of said top pole into said bottom pole, when said latch members are oriented in said locking groove, being prevented by said latch members being clamped between a wall of said locking groove and said guide surfaces.

4. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 3, wherein said control means includes said manually operable unlocking means being comprised of first and second members, said first member being secured to a top end of said bottom pole and having plural inclined ramp surface means thereon and said inclined guide surfaces thereon, said second member having plural socket means each having a roller therein interfacing respective ones of said plural ramp surface means so as to support said second member for rotation relative to said first member and effect said axial translation of said second member in response to a rotational movement of said second member relative to first member caused by said rollers rolling on said ramp surface.

5. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 4, wherein said second member additionally includes a first annular washer encircling said top pole and engaging each said latch member on a side thereof remote from said guide surfaces, said resilient means engaging said annular washer on a side thereof remote from said latch members.

6. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 5, wherein said second member additionally includes a second annular washer engaging each latch member on a side thereof remote from said first annular washer, said second annular washer being supported on said second member for axial translational movement therewith.

7. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 6, wherein said first member includes an abutment for said resilient means, said resilient means comprising a compression spring compressed between said first annular washer and said abutment in response to said axial translational movement of said second member relative to said first member in response to a rotation of said second member in a first direction.

8. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 7, wherein said compression spring, when compressed, has sufficient spring force to continually urge said rollers relative to said ramps and respective said latch members into engagement with an outside surface of said top pole and a corresponding rotational movement of said second member in a second direction opposite said first direction relative to said first member.

9. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 3, wherein said control means includes said manually operable unlocking means being comprised of first and second members, said first member being secured to a top end of said bottom pole, means connecting said first and second members for relative rotational movement and simultaneous relative axial translational movement, said first member having said guide surfaces thereon;

wherein said second member additionally includes a first annular washer encircling said top pole and engaging each said latch member on a side thereof remote from said guide surfaces, said resilient means engaging said annular washer on a side thereof remote from said latch members;

wherein said second member additionally includes a second annular washer engaging each latch member on a side thereof remote from said first annular washer, said second annular washer being supported on said second member for axial translational movement therewith; and

wherein said first member includes an abutment for said resilient means, said resilient means comprising a compression spring compressed between said first annular washer and said abutment in response to said axial translational movement of said second member relative to said first member in response to a rotation of said second member in a first direction;

whereby said axial translational movement caused by a rotation of said second member in said first direction relative to said first member effects an axial translational movement of said second washer which in turn imparts an axial translational movement of said latch members relative to said guide surfaces and out of said locking groove and said first washer engaged with said latch members to compress said spring between said abutment and said first washer to release said top pole.

10. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 1, wherein said means at said bottom end of said bottom pole is a tapered fitting adapted to be received in a correspondingly tapered socket.

11. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 10, wherein said tapered fitting includes an exterior facing conical tapered surface.

12. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 11, wherein a transverse hole extends through said tapered fitting.

13. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 1, wherein said manually operable unlocking means includes air throttling means for restricting a displacement of air in said bottom pole when said top pole enters therein.

14. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 13, wherein said throttling means includes an air restricting seal on said second member slidingly engaging an external surface of said top pole.

15. The telescoping IV pole according to claim 1, wherein an elastically yieldable cushion member is provided inside said bottom pole adjacent said bottom end thereof.

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